Research, policy, and regulatory activities to support cumulative impact assessments

Individuals, groups, and communities are exposed to myriad chemical and non-chemical stressors found in their built, natural, and social environments (i.e., the total environment) as they go about their everyday activities. Evidence in the literature shows that environmental and social injustices drive health disparities linked to exposure to these stressors. Communities of color, low-income communities, and other underserved communities bear the brunt of these injustices and, as a result, face disproportionate health impacts. Hence, the Biden Administration signed Executive Orders 13985 and 14008 to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities and to address the climate crisis. These Executive Orders require federal action to reduce health inequities not just as single pollutant issues, but as systems challenges produced by the interaction of pollutants with economic, social, and policy drivers. The scientific community is well positioned to conduct complementary research to address health inequities experienced by overburdened communities. For this symposium session, we envision abstracts reporting research, regulatory, and policy activities related to cumulative impacts, environmental justice, or overburdened communities. Abstracts may include real world examples where cumulative impacts research, regulatory, or policy activities informed or were incorporated into actions to reduce disparities experienced by the community.

Impact/Purpose

Individuals, groups, and communities are exposed to myriad chemical and non-chemical stressors found in their built, natural, and social environments (i.e., the total environment) as they go about their everyday activities. Evidence in the literature shows that environmental and social injustices drive health disparities linked to exposure to these stressors. Communities of color, low-income communities, and other underserved communities bear the brunt of these injustices and, as a result, face disproportionate health impacts. Hence, the Biden Administration signed Executive Orders 13985 and 14008 to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities and to address the climate crisis. These Executive Orders require federal action to reduce health inequities not just as single pollutant issues, but as systems challenges produced by the interaction of pollutants with economic, social, and policy drivers. The scientific community is well positioned to conduct complementary research to address health inequities experienced by overburdened communities. For this symposium session, we envision abstracts reporting research, regulatory, and policy activities related to cumulative impacts, environmental justice, or overburdened communities. Abstracts may include real world examples where cumulative impacts research, regulatory, or policy activities informed or were incorporated into actions to reduce disparities experienced by the community.

Citation

Tulve, N., S. Mazur, AND S. Julius. Research, policy, and regulatory activities to support cumulative impact assessments. ISES 2023 Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 27 - 31, 2023.